There are two major components to the RBT: Types of Knowledge and Cognitive Processes. Each of the four Types of Knowledge contain Sub-Types that detail the type of learning that should take place in each category.
There are six components to the Cognitive Processes in the RBT beginning with Remembering and ending with Creating.
http://informationtechnologytoolkit.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/file/view/BloomingWebTools.png/279498858/BloomingWebTools.png
The RBT does a great job of differentiating between how we should learn and what we are learning. Having the ability to tailor a lesson based on the content that should be learned is a major component to effective teaching. Lessons require different levels of learning and should be taught in different ways to accommodate the needs of the student. The RBT is geared towards explaining to students the different levels of learning and what each level involves. Sometimes we forget the most important step in teaching, teaching the students how to learn.
Merrill's First Principles of Instruction are comprised of the five first principles. These principles are guidelines for creating effective instruction by the teacher for the learner.
Table 1: Augmented
first principles and reflective questions for design
Principle | Learning is promoted when… | Questions to ask yourself |
Problem and task centered | Learners are engaged in solving real world problems and tasks |
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Activation | Existing knowledge is retrieved or activated as a foundation for the new knowledge or learning |
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Demonstration | New knowledge (task) is demonstrated to the learner |
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Application | The learner applies new knowledge |
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Integration | New knowledge is integrated into the learner’s world or context |
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Here is video on MFPI- https://youtu.be/rSIYP0BgOTw
Merrill's First Principles of Instruction are also comprised of different levels of thinking. Each level requires more conceptual thinking and understanding. This learning design model does an excellent job of helping the instructor understand all the questions they need to be thinking about as they design their lesson.
Here is a spicy node to show the similarities and differences
http://www.spicynodes.org/a/663e46d91d8668cff3d519a591748dfd
Critique
While the RBT lays out a clear path for learning, it can be difficult to differentiate between the levels of the Cognitive Processes. They have a tendency to overlap. Reaching the creating step in the process is more involved and requires a real depth of understanding. This model is more beneficial to students than teachers.
MFPI's design is very thorough and does an excellent job of outlining the design process for teachers. This design does not specifically focus on the student. However, it does provide a great guide for the teacher and assists the students by providing a pathway for instruction.
I feel that Merrill's First Principles of Instruction are more beneficial to me at this point in my life. It is more focused on assisting teachers in designing a thorough lesson and providing them with the right questions to ask when designing that lesson. The RBT is more focused on the actual student and providing a pathway to effective learning.
I can see why you feel that Merrill's design model has more to offer for you at this point in your career. Merrill's First Principles of Instruction provides a useful framework for designing instruction focused on student learning. I think within that framework, it could also be helpful to include an emphasis on RBT in specific pieces of Merrill's design model. For example, I think RBT is an exceptional model for designing cognitively complex learning experiences and assessments that are aligned with content standards or learning outcomes. With Merrill's as an overall framework, RBT could be useful in making sure that the problem or task you create for students is at an appropriate level of cognitive processing.
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